An African Development Bank (AfDB) mission to Rwanda has commended the significant progress made on the construction of the Muvumba Multipurpose Dam and reaffirmed the Bank’s continued support for its timely completion. The project, situated on Rwanda’s Muvumba River, is the centerpiece of a wider water resource development initiative, for which the Bank has committed… [Read More]
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Global Hunger Crisis: Report Warns Progress Stalled, Urgent Action Needed
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2025 warns that progress in reducing hunger worldwide is stagnating, with 42 countries facing serious or alarming hunger levels. Conflict and armed violence have driven 20 food crises over the past year, affecting nearly 140 million people. While regions in South and Southeast Asia and Latin America show declines in… [Read More]
Abu Dhabi Hosts Tech4Nature Awards: Recognizing Pioneers in Conservation Technology
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Huawei announced the winners of the inaugural Tech4Nature Awards, celebrating outstanding technological innovations that drive measurable positive impacts for biodiversity, ecosystems, and communities. These awards recognize how cutting-edge technology, when combined with conservation expertise and community… [Read More]
Six New Carbon Projects Launched by IUCN WALD Facility Supporting Biodiversity and Local Communities
The WALD Innovation Facility, a grant-making initiative managed by IUCN and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) via KfW, has announced six flagship projects focused on combining carbon sequestration with biodiversity conservation and community benefits. The Facility provides grants of up to €1.5 million per project, addressing a critical… [Read More]
Civil Society Environmental Initiatives to Receive Up to USD 300,000 in New GEF Grants
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi, IUCN and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) co-hosted a pre-launch event to introduce the upcoming GEF Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Challenge Program. The initiative is set to provide grants of up to USD 300,000 to CSOs with proven environmental solutions that are ready for growth,… [Read More]
New Latin America Forest Restoration Program Launched by IUCN and KfW
The Forest Action Facility (FAF) was officially launched on 11 October 2025 at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi as a platform to develop, finance, and implement Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) initiatives across Latin America. Established in December 2024 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and KfW Development Bank, the… [Read More]
Latin America Set to Receive USD 1.086 Billion from CAF for Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure
CAF, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, held its Board of Directors meeting and approved USD 1.086 billion for strategic operations in Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, and Chile. This decision highlights the institution’s continued commitment to sustainable development, climate action, and the modernization of critical infrastructure across the region. In Brazil, CAF approved… [Read More]
UK Awards £1.5M to Support Cutting-Edge Mental Health Solutions for Young People
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced over £1.5 million in funding to support 17 pioneering health technology projects aimed at reducing waiting times for children and young people in need of mental healthcare and neurodevelopmental assessments. Long delays in accessing these services can exacerbate mental health conditions, disrupt education, increase… [Read More]
Ontario Increases Investment in Student Nutrition Programs to $37.5 Million
The Ontario government has increased its investment in student nutrition programs by $5 million, bringing the total funding for the Student Nutrition Program (SNP) and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program (FNSNP) to $37.5 million for 2025–26. These programs serve over 800,000 students across the province, providing more than 140 million healthy meals and snacks… [Read More]
EU Launches €618 Million Initiative to Scale Up African Renewables, Announced by von der Leyen
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a €618 million Team Europe package to accelerate Africa’s clean energy transition during the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels. This funding forms part of the “Scaling Up Renewables in Africa” campaign, co-hosted with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and coordinated with the international advocacy organisation Global Citizen…. [Read More]
President von der Leyen: Global Gateway Reaches €300 Billion, Expands Smart and Clean Global Links
The second edition of the Global Gateway Forum was held this week in Brussels, bringing together 12 Heads of State and Government and over 70 ministers from around the world. The event highlighted the achievements of Global Gateway in creating smart, clean connections and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships with countries worldwide. President Ursula von der… [Read More]
Kerala Achieves Historic Milestone: Extreme Poverty Eliminated in the State
Kerala has achieved a historic milestone by eradicating extreme poverty, becoming the first state in India and South Asia to do so. The state plans to make an official declaration on November 1, 2025, highlighting its commitment to inclusive growth through over 73,000 meticulously crafted micro-plans. These community-driven initiatives, combined with strict monitoring, have lifted… [Read More]
Rising Poverty in Australia: One in Seven Australians Struggling
A new report released at the start of Anti-Poverty Week shows that poverty in Australia has risen sharply, now affecting one in seven people. According to the Poverty in Australia 2025: Overview report by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and the UNSW-led Poverty and Inequality Partnership, 14.2% of Australians—or 3.7 million people—lived below… [Read More]
Hungary’s Rule of Law Crisis Under Scrutiny in Key EU Hearing
European Union member states are set to meet on October 21, 2025, to discuss Hungary’s growing erosion of the rule of law. Human Rights Watch urges the EU Council to vote on whether Hungary poses a serious breach of EU treaty values, emphasizing the need for decisive action against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government. The… [Read More]
María Corina Machado Awarded Nobel Peace Prize for Championing Venezuelan Democracy
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado in recognition of her tireless efforts to promote democratic rights and advocate for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela. The Committee highlighted her commitment to advancing political freedoms and defending the rights of… [Read More]
Women’s Leadership Key to Strengthening Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
Climate and environmental challenges are increasingly severe and frequent, profoundly affecting communities worldwide. While disasters impact everyone, marginalized groups—particularly women and girls—are often the first to suffer and the last to recover. Social roles, discrimination, and economic inequalities intensify the risks women face during crises and hinder communities’ ability to rebuild. Integrating gender equality into… [Read More]
Women Leading the Way in Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies
Climate and environmental challenges are increasingly frequent and severe, reshaping lives worldwide. While disasters affect everyone, their impact is disproportionately felt by marginalized groups, particularly women and girls, who are often the first to suffer and the last to recover. Social roles, discrimination, and economic inequalities amplify the risks women face in crises, reducing communities’… [Read More]
Private Sector Partnerships as Catalysts for Circular Economy Transition Through Bilateral Collaboration
The Netherlands has set an ambitious goal to fully implement a circular economy by 2050, targeting key sectors such as consumer goods, plastics, construction, manufacturing, biomass, and food. Under its Circular Economy Programme (2023–2030), the country has identified priority product value chains, including plastics, textiles, and electronic equipment, as critical areas for intervention. The urgency… [Read More]
Urgent Funding Warning from Rape Crisis Centre Highlights Support Shortages
Scotland’s largest rape crisis centre, the Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis Centre (GCRC), has warned that its services are at risk of closure without urgent and adequate government investment. Demand for the centre’s support has surged since 2021, yet it continues to operate under a cycle of short-term, insecure funding. Last year alone, GCRC recorded… [Read More]
IFRC Reports Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis in Myanmar Half a Year After Earthquakes
Six months after powerful earthquakes struck central Myanmar on 28 March 2025, thousands of families remain in fragile and unsafe conditions. Those most affected include households headed by women, the elderly, people with special needs, and families living in hard-to-reach areas with limited means to rebuild. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent… [Read More]
£84m Funding Boost Announced to Support Homelessness Services in the UK
The Government has announced an additional £84 million for homelessness services, providing a welcome boost to a sector under significant financial pressure. While the funding is an important in-year top-up, experts stress that it must be accompanied by long-term funding security and the promised cross-government Homelessness Strategy to deliver sustainable solutions. A significant portion of… [Read More]
World Health Summit: Gavi and IRC’s REACH Reduce Vaccine Delivery Cost to $2 per Dose
Delegates from around the world gathered at the 2025 World Health Summit in Berlin as the Reaching Every Child in Humanitarian Settings (REACH) consortium announced it has administered over 20 million vaccine doses to children in humanitarian and conflict-affected areas, including Chad, Ethiopia, Somalia, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Sudan. Funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance,… [Read More]
New FAO Food and Agriculture Museum & Network Opens in Rome
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will inaugurate its new Food and Agriculture Museum & Network (FAO MuNe) on 16 October 2025, coinciding with World Food Day and FAO’s 80th anniversary. Supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the museum incorporates the historic David Lubin Memorial Library… [Read More]
